4 Ways to Make the Groin Kick an Effective Self-Defense Tactic
In self-defense, the groin kick is considered as one of the most effective means of fighting off an attacker and rendering them helpless. Although the effect is generally temporary, it can buy you enough time to escape or even disarm your attacker. But is it really that effective as a self-defense tactic? Here are some things you ought to know about the groin kick:
If your attacker is a man, he’s probably expecting a groin kick
Men know that a well-placed kick in the groin can be very painful. The groin area, particularly the part where the male genitals are, is extremely sensitive. There are more nerves in this area and the skin and underlying tissues are not as well insulated or protected by a good layer of fat or muscle.
Male attackers know this and are more likely to be wary (and ready) for attacks to the groin. Their instinct will help prevent any part of your body from hitting their groin and thus protect them from pain.
Use the element of surprise
Kicking the groin as a self-defense tactic can be very effective if it is performed at the moment your attacker least expects it. If your attacker can stop a groin kick or if your attack does not have enough force in it, you will simply anger your attacker and give them more reason to harm you physically.
The best and most effective way to use the groin kick as a self-defense tactic is to unleash it as a surprise attack. If your attacker doesn’t see it coming, the more effective and debilitating it can be.
If you must use the groin kick, make sure your attacker doesn’t see it
Another important thing to remember about the groin kick is to use it at close range. That way, you are sure of your target and are more likely to make a direct hit. The crotch area can also be accessed more easily from a close angle.
Don’t always rely on ‘kicking’
When people are instructed to use a kick as a self-defense tactic, they think only about using the foot or the knee as a means for an attack. However, in a real-life emergency situation, your knees or feet may not always have necessary leverage or room to commence an effective groin kick.
If your knees or feet have no room to move to perform a groin kick, consider using other parts of the body, including your hands or elbows. If necessary, you might even consider using a tool such as a stick, a bat or a rock. That way, you are not severely limited by circumstance when it comes to preserving your life.
image credit to bulletma9net
Categories: Martial Art, Martial Arts, Self Defense Discussion, Women's Self Defense Tags: female self defense, groin kick self defense, self-defense tips
4 Reasons Why Size and Strength Don’t Matter in Self-Defense
Most people have the wrong perception that being heavier and taller is an absolute advantage in self-defense. In some cases, it can be a deciding factor on who wins and who loses. This is why professional sports such as boxing and taekwondo do not allow contestants belonging to different weight divisions to fight. It would be an unfair advantage indeed for a heavyweight to fight a flyweight. However, there are some instances even in real life where size and strength don’t matter in self-defense. Here are reasons why:
Weakness
Being tall and heavy might have its visual intimidation factor but it can sometimes be a disadvantage in terms of agility, speed and flexibility. Being smaller and lighter can allow you to move faster and be lighter on your feet. Used correctly, these ‘weaknesses’ will allow you to size up your opponent more accurately and use your perceived limitations to your advantage.
Technique
In certain martial arts, such as kung fu style martial arts, trainees adapt a certain fighting style depending on their abilities, skills and physical size. A smaller trainee, for example, may opt to use the monkey style of fighting while a taller trainee might use the crane style. This is so that their innate advantages are maximized.
Knowledge
True, being smaller in size and clearly disadvantaged when it comes to strength can often affect your mindset. Imagine being 5′8″ and weighing 160lbs. and facing off with an opponent who is 6′4″ and weighing 235lbs. A situation such as this will be enough to make you tremble and run for cover.
However, if you are equipped with the right set of knowledge regarding your disadvantages and how you can turn them around to fight back, you will be able to prevent an attack, fight using the right moves and actually overcome an opponent. Without this knowledge, you won’t have any idea what to do with the innate power and advantage you have in terms of your relative size and strength.
Training
True, size and strength don’t matter in self-defense but being able to fight off a bigger and heavier opponent is not automatic. At least, not for everyone. This is where proper and sufficient training comes in. With the right training, you will have the skills and ability to use your body in the right way and to find the points in your attacker’s body where they are weakest. With the right training, your attacks and counter attacks will be well-calculated and accurate and there’s a low likelihood that you could hurt yourself.
Categories: Martial Art, Self Defense Discussion Tags: self defense knowledge, self defense technique, self defense training
5 Great Holiday Gift Ideas (For Your Self Defense and Home Security Conscious Friends)
Too early for ho-ho-ho? Sure, there’s still about two months before Christmas, but how about Halloween? It’s high time to think of unique Halloween gift ideas. If you have self-defense-conscious friends, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a list of Halloween gift ideas that will make your Jujitsu masters or black-belter friends or even that pal of yours who just got his new bachelor’s pad and is looking to keep it secure.
Kubotans
Your father-in-law may not be too old for some action, - elderly self defense action that is. But it would definitely be one cookie point for you if you give him one light but still effective self defense weapon : kubotans.
Self Defense Videos
If the recipient has already mastered these 50 tips on how to keep yourself safe from sexual assault, he or she may still be interested in furthering his or her self defense education with these martial arts and fighting videos. Now for the ladies, who would be more confident with their self defense weapons in tow!
Pepper Gels
The more modern version of pepper sprays, pepper gels are in with women who can’t leave home without protection gadgets. It’s just a piece of cake, if you’re wondering how to use pepper gel. For home security obsessed folks, here are some items you might want to wrap for them.
Motion Sensor Phone
It might be leaning on the espionage side, but it can also be used to help protect your home from those who have nothing good to do with their lives or yours. Check out more information about motion sensor phones.
Solar Powered Surveillance Camera
Green is in! And with this solar-powered surveillance camera, you can never go wrong in keeping your home safe while protecting Mother Earth. Got any Holiday gift ideas of your own?
image credits to Jeff Clow
Categories: Child Safety, Martial Art, Martial Arts, US Tags:
How Green Can You Get with Solar-Powered Surveillance?
Who says you need fuel-powered electricity to use an effective surveillance system? With the advent of ‘green’ technologies, you really do not need to rely so much on resource-hungry gadgets. With solar-powered surveillance, this is probably as green as you can get – or maybe not. Let’s take a look:
What are solar-powered surveillance systems?
Solar surveillance systems are your basic electronic monitoring and tracking systems used for automatic observations and recordings, but with a catch – they run on solar power. They are used for security monitoring purposes on residential homes, office buildings, universities, government offices, shops, parking lots, garages and construction sites. Solar-powered surveillance systems are also very popular for monitoring wildlife and remote environment changes over a long period of time. The fact that they tend to be wireless means that they can be carried in virtually any location and will not require electricity in order to work. The system’s recorded data can be stored onto digital video recorders for future use.
Advantages
One of the advantages of the solar surveillance system is that it does not rely on old video tapes for recording what the cameras capture. Video tapes, as we all know, can be notorious for producing less than sharp images. They also tend to run out, causing you to lose valuable recording time merely because no fresh blank video tape is available. Of course, a solar surveillance system uses green energy, allowing you to tap one of the best energy resources around. Unlike fossil fuel-sourced energy, solar energy is clean, leaves no residues, has no harmful side effects to the users and is environment-friendly.
Limitations
Its greatest strength is probably also its greatest weakness. A solar surveillance system works best outdoors, where it can pick up the sun’s rays to power up its batteries and run the device. It could probably work well indoors provided, of course, that there is ample access to light.
Can you really go green with solar surveillance?
The truth about most solar surveillance systems is that the video security system itself is the only component that uses solar power. The wireless cameras that are essential to making the system work may not always run on solar power. In fact, most units still require the traditional power connection in order to work. That means, in order to view any activities captured by the surveillance system, you will need to have the cameras hooked to a power outlet and probably use a monitor or TV that also uses electricity. However, as green things go, some solar surveillance systems may be hooked with rechargeable battery-powered cameras for more efficient energy use.
Categories: Home Security, Martial Art Tags: green, security, solar energy, surveillance
How to Teach Kids Self Defense Without Teaching Them Martial Arts
Martial arts may appeal to many boys, but such self-defense skills is not for every child or parent. If you wish to make your child better able to protect himself without learning kicks and punches, consider enrolling them in self-defense classes that teach kids about detecting potentially dangerous situations and how to avoid them.
In Vermont, the Rutland City Police Department has been offering self-defense classes to children ages 3/12 to 12 years old. Their aptly named program, radKids, the shortened term for Resist Aggression Defensively, has been in the offing for a number of years already. The classes are held in the Rutland Recreation and Parks Department. Rutland Regional Medical Center also joins forces with the other departments in promoting the program.
radKids aims to provide children with “stranger danger” education. In class, kids learn about safety skills in personal empowerment. Active police officers lead the class, teaching children the various steps they can take if they feel they are in danger.
Kids also learn how to get away quickly from assailants. It’s made very clear to them that reacting immediately to danger is important and they needed to do what they can to make other people aware of the danger they’re in.
The program’s stranger danger education also includes helping kids recognize tricks that potential assailants may use to gain their trust as well as determine the different between touches that are good, bad, or uncomfortable. Home, school, and car safety tips are also taught.
Last but certainly not the least, the program ensures its young students understand that nobody ever has the right to inflict harm to them.
Parents should also do their best to instill the stranger danger philosophy in their children at home. It is important to impress upon their young minds that danger can come in all shapes and sizes.
In the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) website, an article reported how two women with blonde hair and in their early twenties had tried luring a 9-year-old schoolboy walking home from school with a lift. The boy had not responded. When the two women persisted in following him in their dark-colored four-wheel drive, this prompted the boy to run away. His mom had been able to pick him up at the next street.
In another ABC news article, the police had appealed for public help after an abduction attempt on a 9-year-old girl in Sydney. The girl, who had also been walking home, was approached by a man wearing a balaclava. He attempted to grab her wrist but when she was able to break free, the assailant had jumped into a white van, where another man was waiting on the wheel.
image credits to David Kelly
Categories: Child Safety, Martial Art, Self Defense Discussion Tags: kids martial arts, self defense course, self defense lesson